Where is Tongariro National Park
Tongariro National Park is located in the central North Island. It is easily accessible by road and is a 4-5 hour drive from both Auckland and Wellington. Whakapapa Village is the main entrance to the park, located on the western side of SH48.
Getting to Tongariro from Taupo
Tongariro National Park is 73 kilometres from Taupo. The advantage of staying in Taupo is that it’s the closest city to the Crossing and there are plenty of other options for accommodation, eating out, and other activities. The disadvantage is the longer drive time.
Getting to Tongariro from Auckland
The driving time from Auckland to Tongariro National Park depends on where you plan to stay while hiking the Tongariro. The journey is approximately 330 km and takes about 4-5 hours by car. If you prefer public transport, you can take a bus or train to National Park Village and then arrange a shuttle to the park.
Getting to Tongariro from Wellington
Wellington is the second largest city in New Zealand’s North Island, and it’s the starting point for many Tongariro Crossing visitors.
The Area
Tongariro National Park covers 786 km2 in the middle of New Zealand’s North Island, a few kilometres west of Lake Taupo.
It is 330 km south of Auckland and 320 km north of Wellington by road.
The Whanganui River starts in Whanganui National Park and flows west through the park.
On the park’s edges are the towns of Turangi, National Park Village, and Ohakune. Raetihi and Waiouru are farther away.
Within the park’s borders, there is only the village of Whakapapa Village, which is based on tourism and has a variety of ski accommodations.
The Maori settlements of Papakai and Otukou, which are on the shores of Lake Rotoaira between the Pihanga Scenic Reserve and the park’s main area, are not part of the park.
Mounts & Volcanic Landscape
In 1887, Tongariro became the first national park in New Zealand. Just over a hundred years later, the park was named a UNESCO World Heritage site for both its cultural importance to the Maori people and its outstanding natural features.
The 80,000-hectare park is a spectacular display of volcanic wonders, such as emerald lakes, old lava flows, steaming craters, colourful silica terraces, and strange alpine gardens. It is a place with so much beauty and variety that it is hard to believe.
Three volcanoes, Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe, and Tongariro, mark the southern end of the Taupo Volcanic Zone. This zone is part of the “Ring of Fire,” a horseshoe-shaped group of volcanoes in the Pacific Ocean.
Hikes At Tongariro National Park
There are many walks in and around Tongariro National Park that are fantastic attractions and some of the main reasons people from all over the world visit the park.
Most of the shorter walks are on paths that are easy for most people to walk on. Many of the longer trails only go along poled paths.
Some aren’t formed or marked at all, so you have to be careful, know how to navigate, and have some hiking skills and experience.
Before you go on your trip, tell someone you can trust what you plan to do, and check in with them after you get back. If you are late, they should call the New Zealand Police to let them know.
Some of the most popular walks or hikes are:
- Tongariro Alpine Crossing (the most popular)
- Whakapapaiti Valley Tramping Track
- Tama Lakes Tramping Track
- Whakapapa Nature Walk
- Mounds Walk
- Tawhai Falls Walk
- Ridge Walk
- Taranaki Falls Walking Track
- Whakapapanui Walking Track
- Silica Rapids Walking Track
- Rimu Walk
- Mangawhero Forest Walk
- Mangawhero Falls Walk
- Waitonga Falls Walking Track
- Lake Rotokura Walking Track
- Old Blyth Tramping Track
- Soda Springs Walking Track
- Historic Waihohonu Hut
- Taurewa Loop Walking Track
- Okupata Caves
- Te Porere Redoubt Walk
- Ohinetonga Walking Track
- Round the Mountain (4-6 days)
- Waihohonu Hut to Rangipo Hut
- Whakapapa Village to Waihohonu Hut
- Rangipo Hut to Mangaehuehu Hut
- Mangaehuehu Hut to Ohakune Mountain Road
- Mangaturuturu Hut to Whakapapaiti Hut
- Ohakune Mountain Road to Mangaturuturu Hut
- Whakapapaiti Hut to Whakapapa Village
- Blyth Hut
- Tama Lakes
- Ohinepango Springs
- Mangatepopo Hut to Emerald Lakes
- Emerald Lakes to Oturere Hut
- Oturere Hut to Waihohonu Hut
- Waihohonu Hut to Whakapapa Village
Some Of The Highlights Of Tongariro National Park
The designation of Tongariro as a World Heritage Site recognises the park’s significant spiritual and cultural ties to the Maori people, as well as its unique volcanic features.
Below, we describe some of the highlights for visitors.
Mount Tongariro
Mount Tongariro is one of four big volcanoes in Tongariro National Park.
It is made up of about 12 different cones, one of which is Mt. Ngauruhoe, also known as Mt. Doom from the Lord of the Rings movies, which many people think it’s a different mountain.
When you get to the Red Crater on the Alpine Crossing, you can take a side trip to climb Mt. Tongariro, which takes 1–2 hours.
The poled route goes along a rocky ridge that goes up and down, and at the top, you can see great views of the volcano’s other peaks.
Emerald Lakes
The explosion craters near Mt. Tongariro are filled by a group of beautiful glacial lakes called the Emerald Lakes.
The beautiful colours of the lakes are partly due to mineral matter that has been washed down by hot springs near the nearby Red Crater.
Between the Red Crater and the Ketetahi Shelter, on the last two parts of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, you’ll find the best places to see this famous landmark.
Devil’s Staircase
The Devil’s Staircase is a steep part of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing that rises to 5,249 feet (1,600 metres) above sea level at its highest point.
The climb is difficult because it goes through rough lava flows and volcanic deposits, but the views make it all worth it.
On a clear day, you can see Mt. Taranaki’s perfectly symmetrical peak from a long way away.
Mangatepopo Stream
One of the first things that trekkers will see on their way is the Mangatepopo Stream.
When you walk from the Mangatepopo Road, which is where the Alpine Crossing starts, across the flat board tracks and up the valley, you can see the stream.
As you follow the river and climb to Soda Springs, keep an eye out for the old lava flows that make up this part of the path.
Soda Springs
You can also take a 15-minute walk around Soda Springs on the Tongariro Crossing.
A side trail leads to the beautiful springs from the top of Mangatepopo Valley.
The springs are naturally beautiful because they are surrounded by volcanic rock and have yellow buttercups growing along the moist banks.
South Crater
The South Crater is a basin that might have been made by glaciers and then filled with dirt from the ridges around it.
After Mangatepopo Valley and Soda Springs, the walk from the South Crater to the Red Crater is known for its unique volcanic landforms.
Some of these are an explosion pit with lava flows from the 1870 eruption of Mt. Ngauruhoe and rock formations that look like magma as you walk up the ridge toward the Red Crater.
Red Crater
The top of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is the Red Crater. It is 6188 feet high, or 1886 metres.
Not only do some of the best views of the Emerald Lakes come from these rocky areas, but they also have a number of hot springs and active volcanic craters.
As you get close to the end of the descent from Red Crater to the Emerald Lakes, you’ll come across the famous Te Maari craters, where the 2012 eruptions happened.
There are still warning signs around, so don’t stay there for too long.
The Blue Lake
The Blue Lake is a sacred (tapu) sight that sits on the path between the Emerald Lakes and the Ketetahi Shelter.
Hikers are told not to swim in the lake or eat anything near it because it is an important part of Maori history and culture.
People say that around the year 1750, Te Rangihiroa, who was the brother of Te Maari and the son of the local chief Pakaurangi, explored the area.
For this reason, the Blue Lake is also called Te Wai-whakaata-o-te-Rangihiroa, which in the Maori language means “Rangihiroa’s Mirror.”
